2 LDS Apostles Attend Installation Mass for Catholic Bishop

Two apostles of the LDS Church, Elders M. Russell Ballard and D. Todd Christofferson, accompanied by Senior President of the Seventy Elder L. Whitney Clayton, attended the installation mass for Catholic Bishop Oscar A. Solis, the 10th bishop of the archdiocese of Salt Lake City. In response to their attendance, Bishop Solis talked about how welcoming the Church has been as he has commenced his new assignment. Both Bishop Solis and the three representatives from the Church talked about the relationship the Catholics and Latter-day Saints share, and how they all hope to foster greater understanding and cooperation between those of all faiths.

It is amazing to think how far we as Latter-day Saints have come in our relationship to those of all faiths. From the moment Joseph Smith stepped out of the Sacred Grove for at least the first 15-20 years of the Church's establishment (round about the 1850s), Latter-day Saints were misunderstood and at times even hated and persecuted for their beliefs, even and especially by those who professed to be devoted to God and to have a love of all of their fellowman. Joseph Smith remarked on that hatred numerous times. And it was that hatred that led a group of evil men with ill will against Brother Joseph that led to his death. On numerous occasions, those who accepted Joseph Smith as a prophet and who held to the belief that he was the means of bringing back the Church that was originally established by Jesus Christ in New Testament times were driven from their homes and lands.

When the Saints were driven west, the tide began to turn. Finding sympathy from the US government, who had not previously intervened in their behalf, the Saints trekked westward to Utah. And here those pioneers found acceptance and appreciation that has allowed the Church to spread throughout the world. Here we have found friends of other faiths, and the Church has worked for the almost 170 years since we came here to foster good relationships with all, regardless of their religion.

The Catholic and LDS Churches have had a particularly long-standing relationship in partnering in community projects and initiatives. And the leaders of both churches have likewise been very supportive of each other, especially in times when the leadership of either have changed. Today's events truly continue the long-standing tradition of that spirit of cooperation, support, and unity.

While many news outlets have been reporting on this, I prefer the Mormon Newsroom report above any others. Here is a link to that report. I hope this information is helpful to those who read it. In the meantime, as a Latter-day Saint blogger, I am proud of the relationship that people and leaders of my faith maintain with those of all faiths. During the time I grew up, one of my best friends in Junior High and High School was a Jehovah Witness. My guidance counselor in Junior High was a Presbyterian. Some of the first people I met after moving to American Fork were Catholic. And I feel, as Joseph Smith said, that I would be ready to fight for the rights of any other faiths just as surely as I would be ready to fight for my own right to live and practice my faith as a Latteer-day Saint.

One of the greatest privileges I have as an LDS blogger is to share my faith in this public way, and also to be a Latter-day Saint in a land that respects my God-given right to practice and share this faith. I hope that my posts, in some small way, can help those who read them. I welcome and look forward to any feedback. Thanks to you all for your readership and support.

Revised and Updated Predictions for Near-Future Temple Possibilites

After some excellent discussion on the LDS Growth Forum, I have felt it necessary to revise and update my predictions for near-future temple possibilities. The following is the result. Any comments are welcome and appreciated. Thanks.

South America (Managua Nicaragua; Santa Cruz Bolivia; Neuquen Argentina; Valparaiso Chile; Puebla Mexico); Ocenia (Port Moresby Papua New Guinea); United States (Bentonville Arkansas, Missoula Montana; Lehi/Layton Utah; Pocatello Idaho; Richmond Viriginia; Fort Worth Texas; Augusta Maine; Madison Wisconsin; Des Moines Iowa; Jackson Mississippi; Rapid City South Dakota; Salem Oregon); Africa (Nairobi Kenya; Freetown Sierra Leone; Lagos Nigeria)

NOTE: Temples in Brazil are always a possibility, given growth there. However, with one currently under construction (Fortaleza); one with construction pending (Rio de Janeiro); and one announced (Belem Brazil), a new Brazilian temple doesn’t seem likely for at least a couple of years. I won’t rule it out, but it seems others might take precedence. When Brazilian temples are next announced in a year or two, they would likely be in this order: Brasilia, Belo Horizonte, Salvador; Valparaiso, and/or a second for the capital, Sao Paulo.  Additionally, a temple in Kampala Uganda seems warranted at some point in the near future, but the temple in Nairobi Kenya would serve the Saints in both countries. I wouldn’t rule out a Ugandan temple by 2030 or before, and I will keep an eye out on things and make a determination on that later. I anticipate at least one temple announcement in the United States, because we have one under renovation in Utah, and two more US temples scheduled for renovation, but the dedications that will happen later this year mean that we will have none in any stage after the Cedar City Utah temple is dedicated in December.

Updated Temple Construction Progress Report/Another New Post Now Necessary

Hello. After doing more research, I was led to conclude that the completion dates for some temples will be later than I originally anticipated. Additionally, there has been progress noted in temple construction that was most wonderful to hear about. I am excited to share these developments with you. Before doing so, I should like to note one or two other things. First, it appears that work has not yet begun in earnest on the temples in Arequipa and Rio. I fully anticipate that happening before the end of this week. That said, I will also need to now redo my predictions for the timetable by which future temple-related events will be announced and scheduled to take place. That will be coming as I am able to put it together.

I am also taking another look at the list I put together for future temples and am reevaluating things and doing further research to fine-tune my selections in that regard. Right now, unless something changes, it doesn't appear likely that I will make any massive revisions to that list before General Conference next month. But I am searching for the best information I can get, and will post updates if and when they happen.

All that aside, here's my report. Please let me know if you have any feedback for me. I am also waiting to hear how soon we might see the site announcement and groundbreaking for the Harare Zimbabwe Temple. Stay tuned for more on that as I find out more. Thanks for your readership.

Temple Construction Progress Update (current as of 3/7/17)

Current Temple Status: 155 operating; 4 scheduled for dedication; 7 under construction; 3 more have construction pending, but all of them are anticipated to commence construction before summer this year; 1 scheduled for rededication; 2 undergoing renovation; 2 renovations scheduled; 8 announced. NOTE: With two groundbreakings having already taken place this year, the chances are very good that we will see several others also have a groundbreaking in 2017.

Dedication scheduled:

156. Paris France Temple: Accepting reservations for public open house (that event is scheduled to take place from Saturday April 22-Saturday May 13 (excluding the Sundays of April 23 and 30 and May 7)); dedication scheduled for Sunday May 21, 2017.

157. Tucson Arizona Temple: Entrance doors and Holiness to the Lord plaque installed; accepting reservations for public open house beginning Monday May 15, 2017; (that event is scheduled to take place from Saturday June 3-Saturday June 24 (excluding the Sundays of June 4, 11, and 18)); dedication scheduled for Sunday August 13, 2017.

158. Meridian Idaho Temple: Interior painting and millwork underway; dedication scheduled for Sunday November 19, 2017.

159. Cedar City Utah Temple: Installing glass; hanging drywall on interior; dedication scheduled for Sunday December 10, 2017.

Under Construction:

160. Rome Italy Temple: Interior work progressing; completion anticipated sometime between early-to -mid 2018.

161. Kinshasa Democratic Republic of the Congo Temple: Making concrete pours for window openings and to seal tops of concrete block walls; completion anticipated sometime between early-to-mid 2018.

162.  Barranquilla Colombia Temple: Attaching waterproofing membrane to exterior walls; scaffolding removed from steeple walls; completion anticipated sometime during mid-2018.

163. Concepcion Chile Temple: Exterior cladding going up on north wall; framing the interior walls; completion anticipated sometime during mid-to-late 2018.

164. Durban South Africa Temple: Preparing for temple floor slab; backfilling missionary housing facility foundation; aloe plants added at entrance; completion anticipated sometime during mid-to-late 2018.

165. Fortaleza Brazil Temple: Parapet poured; some scaffolding coming down; preparing to pour tower base; completion anticipated sometime during early 2019.

166.  Lisbon Portugal Temple: Excavation completed for temple foundation; structural framing going up for meetinghouse; completion anticipated sometime during early 2019.

Construction pending:

167. Winnipeg Manitoba Temple: Groundbreaking held Saturday December 3, 2016; awaiting commencement of full-scale operations; construction might commence in April or May; if so, completion anticipated sometime during early 2019.

168. Rio de Janeiro Brazil Temple: Groundbreaking held Saturday March 4, 2017; awaiting full-scale operations, which may start as early as next week; barring any delays, completion anticipated sometime during early-to-mid 2019.

169. Arequipa Peru Temple: Groundbreaking held Saturday March 4, 2017; awaiting full-scale operations, which may start as early as next week; completion anticipated sometime during late 2019-early 2020.

Rededication Scheduled:

8. Idaho Falls Idaho Temple: Closed for renovation; accepting reservations for public open house beginning Monday April 3, 2017; rededication scheduled for Sunday June 4, 2017.

Undergoing Renovation:

20. Jordan River Utah Temple: Closed for renovation; rededication anticipated sometime between early-and-mid 2018.

41. Frankfurt Germany Temple: Closed for renovation; some exterior stone removed; foundation exposed; old meetinghouse razed; rededication anticipated sometime between early-and mid-2018.

Renovation Scheduled:

13. Oakland California Temple: Scheduled to close for renovation in February 2018; rededication anticipated sometime during mid-to-late 2019.

16. Washington D. C. Temple: Scheduled to close for renovation in March 2018; rededication anticipated sometime during early-to-mid 2020.

Announced:

170. Harare Zimbabwe Temple: Approval and construction preparation phase; site announcement and groundbreaking anticipated sometime during 2017 (more likely sooner than later).

171. Port-au-Prince Haiti Temple: Planning and design phase; awaiting official site announcement. NOTE: According to member reports, a potential site has been identified but has yet to be confirmed.

172. Bangkok Thailand Temple: Planning phase; awaiting official site announcement. NOTE: Some reports have indicated that a Church office building may be redesigned and renovated as a multi-purpose building that will not only continue to house Church offices but also a meetinghouse in addition to a temple.

173. Lima Peru Los Olivos Temple: Planning phase; awaiting official site announcement. NOTE: Even though this was the last of the four temples that was announced most recently, and in spite of the fact that an official site has not yet been announced, the announced name for this second temple in Lima seems to indicate that it will be constructed somewhere in the Los Olivos District. For that reason, it seems appropriate to put this temple ahead of the others.

174. Abidjan Ivory Coast Temple: Planning phase; awaiting official site announcement.

175. Quito Ecuador Temple: Planning phase; awaiting official site announcement.

176. Belem Brazil Temple: Planning phase; awaiting official site announcement.

177. Urdaneta Philippines Temple: Stalled in planning and approval phase; awaiting official site announcement. NOTE: Even though this temple is technically ahead of the temples listed above in terms of its status, because it is unclear why progress has been stalled or how long those delays might last, we could see any or all of the temples above have their constructions commence before anything gets resolved with this one.

NOTE: Given how much progress we have seen with temples recently, it is not hard to believe that we will see many more temples announced in the near future. There have been reports of several cities that have already had a site purchased already: Managua Nicaragua, Port Moresby Papua New Guinea, Bentonville Arkansas, and Missoula Montana. As the apostles travel, they sometimes have felt impressed to propose a temple for the areas they visit. Such temples have been proposed in New Delhi India (in June 1992 by Elder Neal A. Maxwell); Vilnius Lithuania (in May 1993 by Elder M. Russell Ballard); Nairobi Kenya (in February 1998 by President Gordon B. Hinckley); Maracaibo Venezuela (in August 1999 by President Hinckley); Singapore (in January 2000 by President Hinckley); for the Southwest Salt Lake Valley (in October 2005 by President Hinckley; NOTE: While some contend that this temple announcement has already happened, verifiable sources widely available prove otherwise); Managua Nicaragua (in January 2012 by then-Elder Russell M. Nelson; the fact that it has not only been publicly proposed but has had a site purchased for it makes it very likely); Missoula Montana (someone in 2014 by Elder David A. Bednar; while the report of this proposal has yet to be verified, the fact that there has been a purchase of a temple site seems to indicate that it is a most imminent possibility); and for the Kasai Region in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (in February 2016 by Elder Neil L. Andersen). I have heard many reports of several more temple sites being procured, but the nature of those reports are such that they have yet to be verified.

Key:

Bolded numbers and text denote temples whose numbers already exists (for renovations), or is certain due to a scheduled dedication, as well as information that is certain, such as dedication or groundbreaking dates.

Italicized numbers and text denote temples whose numbers may change based on the order in which future dedications and groundbreakings are scheduled.

Underlined numbers and text denote temples whose numbers may change based on progress towards planning, approval, and groundbreaking.

Red text denotes changes from the last posted temple progress report. 

Second Temple Construction Progress Update in the last few hours

Progress that has come to light in temple construction just within the last few hours has been significant enough to warrant posting a second update. Here it is. Comments are welcome and appreciated. I do want to note one change. I had forgotten in the last update to add the temples that had a groundbreaking today to those under construction. I have also added a new category to this list, construction pending, given the fact that that status has been in place for a while. Any comments continue to be welcome and appreciated. Thanks. Here's the report.

Temple Construction Progress Update (current as of 3/4/17)

Current Temple Status: 155 operating; 4 scheduled for dedication; 7 under construction; 3 more have construction pending, but all of them are anticipated to commence construction before summer this year;  1 scheduled for rededication; 2 undergoing renovation; 2 renovations scheduled; 8 announced. NOTE: With two groundbreakings having already taken place this year, the chances are very good that we will see several others also have a groundbreaking in 2017.

Dedication scheduled:

156. Paris France Temple: Accepting reservations for public open house (that event is scheduled to take place from Saturday April 22-Saturday May 13 (excluding the Sundays of April 23 and 30 and May 7)); dedication scheduled for Sunday May 21, 2017.

157. Tucson Arizona Temple: Drought-tolerant landscaping progressing; accepting reservations for public open house beginning Monday May 15, 2017; (that event is scheduled to take place from Saturday June 3-Saturday June 24 (excluding the Sundays of June 4, 11, and 18)); dedication scheduled for Sunday August 13, 2017.

158. Meridian Idaho Temple: Interior painting and millwork underway; dedication scheduled for Sunday November 19, 2017.

159. Cedar City Utah Temple: Installing glass; hanging drywall on interior; dedication scheduled for Sunday December 10, 2017.

Under Construction:

160. Rome Italy Temple: Interior work progressing; completion anticipated sometime between early-to -mid 2018.

161. Kinshasa Democratic Republic of the Congo Temple: Making concrete pours for window openings and to seal tops of concrete block walls; completion anticipated sometime between early-to-mid 2018.

162.  Barranquilla Colombia Temple: Concrete walls poured for steeple; attaching waterproofing membrane to exterior walls; completion anticipated sometime during mid-2018.

163. Concepcion Chile Temple: Exterior cladding going up on north wall; framing the interior walls; completion anticipated sometime during mid-to-late 2018.

164. Durban South Africa Temple: Preparing for temple floor slab; backfilling missionary housing facility foundation; aloe plants added at entrance; completion anticipated sometime during mid-to-late 2018.

165. Fortaleza Brazil Temple: Parapet poured; some scaffolding coming down; preparing to pour tower base; completion anticipated sometime during early 2019.

166.  Lisbon Portugal Temple: Excavation completed for temple foundation; structural framing going up for meetinghouse; completion anticipated sometime during early 2019.

Construction pending:

167. Winnipeg Manitoba Temple: Groundbreaking held Saturday December 3, 2016; awaiting commencement of full-scale operations; construction might commence in April or May; if so, completion anticipated sometime during early 2019.

168. Rio de Janeiro Brazil Temple: Groundbreaking held Saturday March 4, 2017; awaiting full-scale operations, which may start as early as next week; barring any delays, completion anticipated sometime during mid-to-late 2019.

169. Arequipa Peru Temple: Groundbreaking held Saturday March 4, 2017; awaiting full-scale operations, which may start as early as next week; completion anticipated sometime during mid-to-late 2019.

Rededication Scheduled:

8. Idaho Falls Idaho Temple: Closed for renovation; accepting reservations for public open house beginning Monday April 3, 2017; rededication scheduled for Sunday June 4, 2017.

Undergoing Renovation:

20. Jordan River Utah Temple: Closed for renovation; rededication anticipated sometime between early-and-mid 2018.

41. Frankfurt Germany Temple: Closed for renovation; some exterior stone removed; foundation exposed; old meetinghouse razed; rededication anticipated sometime between early-and mid-2018.

Renovation Scheduled:

13. Oakland California Temple: Scheduled to close for renovation in February 2018; rededication anticipated sometime during mid-to-late 2019.

16. Washington D. C. Temple: Scheduled to close for renovation in March 2018; rededication anticipated sometime during early-to-mid 2020.

Announced:

170. Harare Zimbabwe Temple: Approval and construction preparation phase; site announcement and groundbreaking anticipated sometime during 2017 (more likely sooner than later).

171. Port-au-Prince Haiti Temple: Planning and design phase; awaiting official site announcement. NOTE: According to member reports, a potential site has been identified but has yet to be confirmed.

172. Bangkok Thailand Temple: Planning phase; awaiting official site announcement. NOTE: Some reports have indicated that a Church office building may be redesigned and renovated as a multi-purpose building that will not only continue to house Church offices but also a meetinghouse in addition to a temple.

173. Lima Peru Los Olivos Temple: Planning phase; awaiting official site announcement. NOTE: Even though this was the last of the four temples that was announced most recently, and in spite of the fact that an official site has not yet been announced, the announced name for this second temple in Lima seems to indicate that it will be constructed somewhere in the Los Olivos District. For that reason, it seems appropriate to put this temple ahead of the others.

174. Abidjan Ivory Coast Temple: Planning phase; awaiting official site announcement.

175. Quito Ecuador Temple: Planning phase; awaiting official site announcement.

176. Belem Brazil Temple: Planning phase; awaiting official site announcement.

177. Urdaneta Philippines Temple: Stalled in planning and approval phase; awaiting official site announcement. NOTE: Even though this temple is technically ahead of the temples listed above in terms of its status, because it is unclear why progress has been stalled or how long those delays might last, we could see any or all of the temples above have their constructions commence before anything gets resolved with this one.

NOTE: Given how much progress we have seen with temples recently, it is not hard to believe that we will see many more temples announced in the near future. There have been reports of several cities that have already had a site purchased already: Managua Nicaragua, Port Moresby Papua New Guinea, Bentonville Arkansas, and Missoula Montana. As the apostles travel, they sometimes have felt impressed to propose a temple for the areas they visit. Such temples have been proposed in New Delhi India (in June 1992 by Elder Neal A. Maxwell); Vilnius Lithuania (in May 1993 by Elder M. Russell Ballard); Nairobi Kenya (in February 1998 by President Gordon B. Hinckley); Maracaibo Venezuela (in August 1999 by President Hinckley); Singapore (in January 2000 by President Hinckley); for the Southwest Salt Lake Valley (in October 2005 by President Hinckley; NOTE: While some contend that this temple announcement has already happened, verifiable sources widely available prove otherwise); Managua Nicaragua (in January 2012 by then-Elder Russell M. Nelson; the fact that it has not only been publicly proposed but has had a site purchased for it makes it very likely); Missoula Montana (someone in 2014 by Elder David A. Bednar; while the report of this proposal has yet to be verified, the fact that there has been a purchase of a temple site seems to indicate that it is a most imminent possibility); and for the Kasai Region in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (in February 2016 by Elder Neil L. Andersen). I have heard many reports of several more temple sites being procured, but the nature of those reports are such that they have yet to be verified.

Key:

Bolded numbers and text denote temples whose numbers already exists (for renovations), or is certain due to a scheduled dedication, as well as information that is certain, such as dedication or groundbreaking dates.

Italicized numbers and text denote temples whose numbers may change based on the order in which future dedications and groundbreakings are scheduled.

Underlined numbers and text denote temples whose numbers may change based on progress towards planning, approval, and groundbreaking.

Red text denotes changes from the last posted temple progress report.

Updated Temple Construction Progress Report

In light of the groundbreakings reported today, as well as the updates I mentioned in terms of construction starting sometime next week, it has become necessary to post an update to my temple construction progress report. Note that, for the moment, until construction formally begins, both temples are in a "construction pending" status. Please feel free to give any feedback. Thanks for your readership, interest, and support.

Temple Construction Progress Update (current as of 3/4/17)
Current Temple Status: 155 operating; 4 scheduled for dedication; 10 under construction;  1 scheduled for rededication; 2 undergoing renovation; 2 renovations scheduled; 8 announced. NOTE: With two groundbreakings having already taken place this year, the chances are very good that we will see several others also have a groundbreaking in 2017.

Dedication scheduled:

156. Paris France Temple: Open house tickets now available (that event is scheduled to last from Saturday April 22-Saturday May 13 (excluding the Sundays of April 23 and 30 and May 7)); dedication scheduled for Sunday May 21, 2017.

157. Tucson Arizona Temple: Drought-tolerant landscaping progressing; installing sprinkler systems for grassy areas; installing interior art glass and millwork; dedication scheduled for Sunday August 13, 2017.

158. Meridian Idaho Temple: Interior painting and millwork underway; dedication scheduled for Sunday November 19, 2017.

159. Cedar City Utah Temple: Installing glass; hanging drywall on interior; dedication scheduled for Sunday December 10, 2017. 

Under Construction:

160. Rome Italy Temple: Interior work progressing; completion anticipated sometime between early-to -mid 2018.

161. Kinshasa Democratic Republic of the Congo Temple: Applying waterproofing membrane to exterior walls; setting rebar; roughing in plumbing; completion anticipated sometime between early-to-mid 2018.

162.  Barranquilla Colombia Temple: Concrete walls poured for steeple; attaching waterproofing membrane to exterior walls; completion anticipated sometime during mid-2018.

163. Concepcion Chile Temple: Exterior cladding going up on north wall; framing the interior walls; completion anticipated sometime during mid-to-late 2018.

164. Durban South Africa Temple: Preparing for temple floor slab; backfilling missionary housing facility foundation; aloe plants added at entrance; completion anticipated sometime during mid-to-late 2018.

165. Fortaleza Brazil Temple: Parapet poured; some scaffolding coming down; preparing to pour tower base; completion anticipated sometime during early 2019.

166.  Lisbon Portugal Temple: Excavation completed for temple foundation; structural framing going up for meetinghouse; completion anticipated sometime during early 2019. 

Construction pending:

167. Winnipeg Manitoba Temple: Groundbreaking held Saturday December 3, 2016; awaiting commencement of full-scale operations; construction might commence in April or May; if so, completion anticipated sometime during early 2019.

168. Rio de Janeiro Brazil Temple: Groundbreaking held Saturday March 4, 2017; awaiting full-scale operations; barring any delays, completion anticipated sometime during mid-to-late 2019.

169. Arequipa Peru Temple: Groundbreaking held Saturday March 4, 2017; awaiting full-scale operations; completion anticipated sometime during mid-to-late 2019. 

Rededication Scheduled:

8. Idaho Falls Idaho Temple: Closed for renovation; open house tickets available beginning Monday April 3, 2017; rededication scheduled for Sunday June 4, 2017 

Undergoing Renovation:

20. Jordan River Utah Temple: Closed for renovation; rededication anticipated sometime between early-and-mid 2018.

41. Frankfurt Germany Temple: Closed for renovation; some exterior stone removed; foundation exposed; old meetinghouse razed; rededication anticipated sometime between early-and mid-2018. 

Renovation Scheduled:

13. Oakland California Temple: Scheduled to close for renovation in February 2018; rededication anticipated sometime during mid-to-late 2019.

16. Washington D. C. Temple: Scheduled to close for renovation in March 2018; rededication anticipated sometime during early-to-mid 2020. 

Announced:

170. Harare Zimbabwe Temple: Approval and construction preparation phase; site announcement and groundbreaking anticipated sometime during 2017 (more likely sooner than later).

171. Port-au-Prince Haiti Temple: Planning and design phase; awaiting official site announcement. NOTE: According to member reports, a potential site has been identified but has yet to be confirmed.

172. Bangkok Thailand Temple: Planning phase; awaiting official site announcement. NOTE: Some reports have indicated that a Church office building may be redesigned and renovated as a multi-purpose building that will not only continue to house Church offices but also a meetinghouse in addition to a temple.

173. Lima Peru Los Olivos Temple: Planning phase; awaiting official site announcement. NOTE: Even though this was the last of the four temples that was announced most recently, and in spite of the fact that an official site has not yet been announced, the announced name for this second temple in Lima seems to indicate that it will be constructed somewhere in the Los Olivos District. For that reason, it seems appropriate to put this temple ahead of the others.

174. Abidjan Ivory Coast Temple: Planning phase; awaiting official site announcement.

175. Quito Ecuador Temple: Planning phase; awaiting official site announcement.

176. Belem Brazil Temple: Planning phase; awaiting official site announcement.

177. Urdaneta Philippines Temple: Stalled in planning and approval phase; awaiting official site announcement. NOTE: Even though this temple is technically ahead of the temples listed above in terms of its status, because it is unclear why progress has been stalled or how long those delays might last, we could see any or all of the temples above have their constructions commence before anything gets resolved with this one. 

NOTE: Given how much progress we have seen with temples recently, it is not hard to believe that we will see many more temples announced in the near future. There have been reports of several cities that have already had a site purchased already: Managua Nicaragua, Port Moresby Papua New Guinea, Bentonville Arkansas, and Missoula Montana. As the apostles travel, they sometimes have felt impressed to propose a temple for the areas they visit. Such temples have been proposed in New Delhi India (in June 1992 by Elder Neal A. Maxwell); Vilnius Lithuania (in May 1993 by Elder M. Russell Ballard); Nairobi Kenya (in February 1998 by President Gordon B. Hinckley); Maracaibo Venezuela (in August 1999 by President Hinckley); Singapore (in January 2000 by President Hinckley); for the Southwest Salt Lake Valley (in October 2005 by President Hinckley; NOTE: While some contend that this temple announcement has already happened, verifiable sources widely available prove otherwise); Managua Nicaragua (in January 2012 by then-Elder Russell M. Nelson; the fact that it has not only been publicly proposed but has had a site purchased for it makes it very likely); Missoula Montana (someone in 2014 by Elder David A. Bednar; while the report of this proposal has yet to be verified, the fact that there has been a purchase of a temple site seems to indicate that it is a most imminent possibility); and for the Kasai Region in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (in February 2016 by Elder Neil L. Andersen). I have heard many reports of several more temple sites being procured, but the nature of those reports are such that they have yet to be verified. 

Key:

Bolded numbers and text denote temples whose numbers already exists (for renovations), or is certain due to a scheduled dedication, as well as information that is certain, such as dedication or groundbreaking dates.

Italicized numbers and text denote temples whose numbers may change based on the order in which future dedications and groundbreakings are scheduled.

Underlined numbers and text denote temples whose numbers may change based on progress towards planning, approval, and groundbreaking.

Red text denotes changes from the last posted temple progress report. 

Report on Church Events That Took Place Today

Hello. I wanted to report on the three Church events that happened today. The groundbreakings were held as scheduled in Rio de Janeiro Brazil and Arequipa Peru. Interestingly enough, though we only had an announced time for one of these temples, both took place @ 10:00 am local time. (That means that the Brazil groundbreaking took place @ 6:00 AM MST, and the Peru groundbreaking was at 8:00 AM MST.) As expected, those announced as presiding did so (Elder Claudio R. M. Costa in Brazil and Elder Carlos A. Godoy in Peru). Here's the odd thing. From what I have read about those groundbreakings, it seems that these two were the first in quite a while where a representative from the Temple Department was not in attendance. In a way, I can appreciate that. It means that these area leaders are being trusted to get things started without having that official representation from Church headquarters. Click here to read the Church's official news release about the groundbreakings, including who was in attendance.

That said, I have found out that construction is expected to begin in earnest for both temples sometime next week, a status update I honestly did not see coming, as I had been advised that the construction in Rio could be delayed initially. It is therefore not unreasonable to believe that both temples might be completed sometime around mid-to-late 2019. I will do a second post shortly with my updated temple construction progress report.

In the meantime, I wanted to report on the other major Church news event that happened today. A Face-to-Face event was held for the youth this morning. It was the first ever Face-to-Face event to feature a member of the First Presidency. President Henry B. Eyring, First Counselor in the First Presidency, was joined by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, who is senior to him in terms of the apostleship, but junior to him currently because of President Eyring serving in the top governing body of the Church. There has not as yet been a report of that event on any Church news outlet I usually check. However, my favorite local news station, KSL, which is entirely or partially owned and operated by the Church, always reports on Church news and events such as this. They sent religion specialist Sam Penrod (who has worked and may still be working with my former bishop and good friend Steve Landeen, a KSL photographer) to report on the event. Though that report is not yet available on the website, I will keep an eye out for it, as well as for coverage on the event form the Church websites I usually follow, and post links to those as I can this weekend.

Thanks for your readership and support. Any comments are welcome and appreciated.

Update several hours later: I have found the KSL news story of which I spoke. Click here to read that. Additionally, this link contains a news article on the event from the Church News, this one is from the Church News and Events section of LDS.org, and this one is from Mormon Newsroom. Hope this is helpful to you. Thanks.

3 Major Church Events To Be Held Tomorrow

Hello. Just wanted to do a quick reminder post that there will be 3 major Church events held tomorrow. President Henry B. Eyring, First Counselor in the First Presidency, and Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles are currently in New York preparing for the Face-to-Face Event for the youth of the Church that will be held at around 10:00 AM MST. During the event, youth of the Church around the world will be able to submit questions and have them answered in real time. This is the first such event to be held in English this year, and the focus of the questions will be set around the event of the First Vision and on James 1:5-6, which is not only the passage of scripture that led to the First Vision, but also the designated theme for Mutual this year. I love the idea that the Lord will give wisdom to those who ask for it. I have sought for and received such wisdom when I lacked it several times.

That said, as part of this post, I wanted to mention the preparation for the process of asking for and receiving wisdom. Some have the erroneous idea that answers will come just for the asking. But it is only after we have followed the scriptural injunction to "study it out in [our] minds" and then ask that the answers come. As many apostles have observed on numerous  occasions, if the Lord just handed us the answers without us doing the work to be informed on an issue, it would lead to us becoming weak, relying on the Lord for guidance when He trusts us to use our own wisdom and judgment, and to our failure to govern our own lives sufficiently. And generally, at least for me, I have found that my best inquiries of the Lord have come when I have already settled on a course of action, rather than expecting Him to do the choosing for me. The Lord's answers do not come in response to multiple choice questions. Once we have decided what to ask and how to ask it, our ability to clearly get the answer He is willing to give us comes into play. This is precisely why I had little or no patience for the journalist that recently griped against the Church Public Affairs Department for not being more transparent: if he had done his research, the questions would not have been necessary.

That aside, the other two events are the groundbreakings for the Arequipa Peru and Rio de Janeiro Brazil temples. I have on good authority that while construction is set to begin almost immediately on the Peru temple, the one in Brazil will be joining the one in Winnipeg in the category of temples that have had a groundbreaking, but will not progress further until some other undisclosed and unknown issues are properly dealt with. That said, it is entirely possible that both of these temples will be finished around the end of 2019, as one is bigger and more complex in size and design than the other. (I will have to double-check to find out which is which).

So it will be an exciting day for the Church. Within a period of roughly four hours, all of these events will have taken place. What a privilege it is to live in this wonderful era when so many exciting developments are taking place at around the same time.

Thanks for reading this. Any comments are welcome and appreciated. Stay tuned for a full report on these events coming at some point tomorrow.

Temple Construction Progress Update

This is the second and last post I will do today. I wanted to share the latest updates in terms of temple construction progress. There are also some significant Church news developments upon which I will focus in future posts as time allows over the next few days. Thanks to you all for your interest and support. Any comments on these updates are most welcome and appreciated. Here's the latest:

Temple Construction Progress Update (current as of 3/1/17)

Current Temple Status: 155 operating; 4 scheduled for dedication; 8 under construction; 2 groundbreakings scheduled; 1 scheduled for rededication; 2 undergoing renovation; 2 renovations scheduled; 8 announced. NOTE: In addition to the two groundbreakings already scheduled this year, the chances are very good that we will see several others also have a groundbreaking in 2017.

Dedication scheduled:

156. Paris France Temple: Open house tickets now available (that event is scheduled to last from Saturday April 22-Saturday May 13 (excluding the Sundays of April 23 and 30 and May 7)); dedication scheduled for Sunday May 21, 2017.

157. Tucson Arizona Temple: Drought-tolerant landscaping progressing; installing sprinkler systems for grassy areas; installing interior art glass and millwork; dedication scheduled for Sunday August 13, 2017.

158. Meridian Idaho Temple: Interior painting and millwork underway; dedication scheduled for Sunday November 19, 2017.

159. Cedar City Utah Temple: Installing glass; hanging drywall on interior; dedication scheduled for Sunday December 10, 2017.

Under Construction:

160. Rome Italy Temple: Interior work progressing; completion anticipated sometime between early-to -mid 2018.

161. Kinshasa Democratic Republic of the Congo Temple: Applying waterproofing membrane to exterior walls; setting rebar; roughing in plumbing; completion anticipated sometime between early-to-mid 2018.

162.  Barranquilla Colombia Temple: Concrete walls poured for steeple; attaching waterproofing membrane to exterior walls; completion anticipated sometime during mid-2018.

163. Concepcion Chile Temple: Exterior cladding going up on north wall; framing the interior walls; completion anticipated sometime during mid-to-late 2018.

164. Durban South Africa Temple: Preparing for temple floor slab; backfilling missionary housing facility foundation; aloe plants added at entrance; completion anticipated sometime during mid-to-late 2018.

165. Fortaleza Brazil Temple: Parapet poured; some scaffolding coming down; preparing to pour tower base; completion anticipated sometime during early 2019.

166.  Lisbon Portugal Temple: Excavation completed for temple foundation; structural framing going up for meetinghouse; completion anticipated sometime during early 2019.

Construction pending:

167. Winnipeg Manitoba Temple: Groundbreaking held Saturday December 3, 2016; awaiting commencement of full-scale operations; construction might commence in April or May; if so, completion anticipated sometime during early 2019.

Groundbreaking Scheduled:

168. Rio de Janeiro Brazil Temple: Preparing for groundbreaking; environmental license issued in November 2016; groundbreaking scheduled for Saturday March 4, 2017; barring any delays, completion anticipated sometime during late 2019.

169. Arequipa Peru Temple: Preparing for groundbreaking; erecting construction barrier; clearing and leveling site; groundbreaking scheduled for Saturday March 4, 2017; completion anticipated sometime during late 2019.

Rededication Scheduled:

8. Idaho Falls Idaho Temple: Closed for renovation; open house tickets available beginning Monday April 3, 2017; rededication scheduled for Sunday June 4, 2017.

Undergoing Renovation:

20. Jordan River Utah Temple: Closed for renovation; rededication anticipated sometime between early-and-mid 2018.

41. Frankfurt Germany Temple: Closed for renovation; some exterior stone removed; foundation exposed; old meetinghouse razed; rededication anticipated sometime between early-and mid-2018.

Renovation Scheduled:

13. Oakland California Temple: Scheduled to close for renovation in February 2018; rededication anticipated sometime during mid-to-late 2019.

16. Washington D. C. Temple: Scheduled to close for renovation in March 2018; rededication anticipated sometime during early-to-mid 2020.

Announced:

170. Harare Zimbabwe Temple: Approval and construction preparation phase; site announcement and groundbreaking anticipated sometime during 2017 (more likely sooner than later).

171. Port-au-Prince Haiti Temple: Planning and design phase; awaiting official site announcement. NOTE: According to member reports, a potential site has been identified but has yet to be confirmed.

172. Bangkok Thailand Temple: Planning phase; awaiting official site announcement. NOTE: Some reports have indicated that a Church office building may be redesigned and renovated as a multi-purpose building that will not only continue to house Church offices but also a meetinghouse in addition to a temple.

173. Lima Peru Los Olivos Temple: Planning phase; awaiting official site announcement. NOTE: Even though this was the last of the four temples that was announced most recently, and in spite of the fact that an official site has not yet been announced, the announced name for this second temple in Lima seems to indicate that it will be constructed somewhere in the Los Olivos District. For that reason, it seems appropriate to put this temple ahead of the others.

174. Abidjan Ivory Coast Temple: Planning phase; awaiting official site announcement.

175. Quito Ecuador Temple: Planning phase; awaiting official site announcement.

176. Belem Brazil Temple: Planning phase; awaiting official site announcement.

177. Urdaneta Philippines Temple: Stalled in planning and approval phase; awaiting official site announcement. NOTE: Even though this temple is technically ahead of the temples listed above in terms of its status, because it is unclear why progress has been stalled or how long those delays might last, we could see any or all of the temples above have their constructions commence before anything gets resolved with this one.

NOTE: Given how much progress we have seen with temples recently, it is not hard to believe that we will see many more temples announced in the near future. There have been reports of several cities that have already had a site purchased already: Managua Nicaragua, Port Moresby Papua New Guinea, Bentonville Arkansas, and Missoula Montana. As the apostles travel, they sometimes have felt impressed to propose a temple for the areas they visit. Such temples have been proposed in New Delhi India (in June 1992 by Elder Neal A. Maxwell); Vilnius Lithuania (in May 1993 by Elder M. Russell Ballard); Nairobi Kenya (in February 1998 by President Gordon B. Hinckley); Maracaibo Venezuela (in August 1999 by President Hinckley); Singapore (in January 2000 by President Hinckley); for the Southwest Salt Lake Valley (in October 2005 by President Hinckley; NOTE: While some contend that this temple announcement has already happened, verifiable sources widely available prove otherwise); Managua Nicaragua (in January 2012 by then-Elder Russell M. Nelson; the fact that it has not only been publicly proposed but has had a site purchased for it makes it very likely); Missoula Montana (someone in 2014 by Elder David A. Bednar; while the report of this proposal has yet to be verified, the fact that there has been a purchase of a temple site seems to indicate that it is a most imminent possibility); and for the Kasai Region in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (in February 2016 by Elder Neil L. Andersen). I have heard many reports of several more temple sites being procured, but the nature of those reports are such that they have yet to be verified.

Key:

Bolded numbers and text denote temples whose numbers already exists (for renovations), or is certain due to a scheduled dedication, as well as information that is certain, such as dedication or groundbreaking dates.

Italicized numbers and text denote temples whose numbers may change based on the order in which future dedications and groundbreakings are scheduled.

Underlined numbers and text denote temples whose numbers may change based on progress towards planning, approval, and groundbreaking.

Red text denotes changes from the last posted temple progress report.

Important Personal Update: Job Terminated/Health Problems

Hello, all! Sad news to report on two personal fronts today. As some of you may be aware, I have had some severe health issues that have kept me from working for a couple of weeks, and which caused my work productivity to not be good when I was there the last couple of days I was able to come in to work. I found out this week that if I failed to come in today by 3, my supervisors would consider it job abandonment. I made every possible effort to come in, but as my team leader had directed me to not do so without a doctor's note covering my absences, I had to wait until I could get a note excusing me from work. So I met today with the project manager, Trent Ginnett, who had hired me, and with Nick Sharp, who is the boss of ROI's branches in this part of Utah County. Nick asked why I had not been in for the last little while without contacting anyone. I responded that I had let my team leader know every day as soon as I knew I wouldn't be able to come in. I explained what was happening with my health. They let me know that, while they sympathized with my health issues, the strict attendance policies at ROI had to be enforced, and that they felt it would be best for the project in general and ROI in particular if my employment was terminated.

It did not come as a great surprise.  Even though I had made every effort to inform my team leader when I would be absent as soon as I knew, she had not bothered to relay my messages to management. So I had known it would be just a matter of time before the termination happened.

Oddly enough, I am not broken up about it. While I will miss my renewed association with those I had worked with at both locations, it was simply not worth trying to force myself to be there when I felt so ill and when the doctor concurred that I should not come in.

So as of 7 hours ago, I am once again unemployed. My older sister, who seems to be intuitive about what's going on with me, had sent me a text earlier today to let me know that the call center her husband had previously worked for was hiring for at-home positions. I applied for that position, knowing that my termination from ROI would happen this afternoon. Unfortunately, my internet kicked me out of the application before I could save it or complete it, and by the time I got things fixed, the listing for the position was no longer on the website.

I have received a lead regarding another at-home position, and I think that would be ideal, if I can make it work. But I will also be meeting with many of my other doctors as I have been advised to do. When I went into urgent care on Monday, the attending doctor confirmed I had a double-infection, and voiced his concern that something else might be going on, including perhaps a shunt problem. He gave me a second antibiotic (I had finished my first one for this situation just a few days prior) and ordered some blood work to try and see if any other issues could be detected.

So now, I wait for those results. In the meantime, I am doing my very best to make sure we will be covered financially. We had fortunately gotten our annual tax refund a little while ago. And I see one of my main doctors on Friday. Hopefully she will have some insight as far as what else might be going on with me.

Prayers are, as always, appreciated. I also appreciate any comments on anything I post. I will keep you all updated as I can on things as they happen. In the meantime, given everything that is happening with us, we are in surprisingly good spirits. The Lord will bless us with what we need.

And when the time is right, I fully anticipate being able to work again, whether at home or in an office setting. Thanks to you all for your kindness, interest, and support.

April 2017 General Conference Predictions

Since the next general conference is less than a month away, it is once again time for me to post my predictions for what will happen during the 187th Annual General Conference. As I have before noted, these are not just random, off-the-cuff, uneducated guesses, but have been put together after extensive research and observation. Let me know your thoughts.

April 2017 General Conference Predictions

Speaking Order (Text in brackets indicated what actually happened.)

Session	Conducting	Speaker
General Women’s	Linda K. Burton	Bonnie H. Cordon
		Linda S. Reeves
		Carol F. McConkie
		President Henry B. Eyring
Saturday Morning	President Dieter F. Uchtdorf	President Henry B. Eyring
		Ulisses Soares
		Linda K. Burton
		President Russell M. Nelson
		Elder O. Vincent Haleck
		Elder Weatherford T. Clayton
		Elder David A. Bednar
Saturday Afternoon	President Henry B. Eyring	President Dieter F. Uchtdorf (Sustaining of Church Officers)
	Church Auditing Department Report, 2016	Kevin R. Jergensen
	Statistical Report, 2016	Brook P. Hales
		Elder Robert D. Hales
		Elder M. Russell Ballard
		Elder Larry Y. Wilson
		Elder Ian S. Ardern
		Elder Ronald A. Rasband
		Elder Jeffrey R. Holland
Saturday Priesthood	President Dieter F. Uchtdorf	Elder Dale G. Renlund
		Douglas D. Holmes
		President Dieter F. Uchtdorf
		President Henry B. Eyring
		President Thomas S. Monson
Sunday Morning	President Henry B. Eyring	President Thomas S. Monson
		Elder L. Whitney Clayton
		Joy D. Jones
		Elder Neil L. Andersen
		Bishop Gerald Causse
		Elder Dallin H. Oaks
		President Dieter F. Uchtdorf
Sunday Afternoon	President Dieter F. Uchtdorf	Elder Gary E. Stevenson
		Elder Gary B. Sabin
		Elder Yoon Hwan Choi
		Elder Quentin L. Cook
		Elder Jose A. Alonso
		Elder S. Mark Palmer
		Elder D. Todd Christofferson

Changes in General Church Leadership

General Authority Seventies: New General Authorities sustained from Area Seventies or Church at large. NOTE: Since the Church has stopped differentiating between those of the First and Second Quorums of the Seventy, any new General Authorities will simply be sustained under the general title of General Authority Seventies. RESULT:

Relief Society General Presidency: Linda K. Burton, Carole M. Stephens, and Linda S. Reeves released as Relief Society General Presidency, new Relief Society General Presidency sustained. NOTE: It has been customary of late for general presidencies to be changed every 5 years. Since the above-named individuals have served since 2012, it would make sense if they were released and a new presidency called. It is anyone’s guess, however, as to if any of the current presidency will be retained in a new presidency. RESULT:

Area Seventies: Releases and sustainings. NOTE: It has been customary for most changes in area seventies to take place in April, when President Uchtdorf leads out in the sustaining vote, and for only a few to take place in October, when President Eyring leads out in the sustaining. Since we are talking about an April General Conference, it would make sense if a lot of changes happened this go-round. ADDITIONAL NOTE: The following Area Seventies have been called to serve as mission presidents and will be among the many releases: Pedro U. Adduru, Angel H. Alarcon, Winsor Balderrama (Sejas) and Abenir V. Pajaro. RESULT:

2016 Statistical Report

Stakes	3,266
Missions	421
Districts	545
Wards and Branches	30,207
Total Church Membership	15,932,508
Increase in Children of Record	114,655
Converts Baptized	310,646
Full-Time Missionaries	90,517
Church Service Missionaries	33,410
Temples Dedicated during 2016 (Provo City Center, Sapporo Japan, Philadelphia Pennsylvania, Fort Collins Colorado, Star Valley Wyoming, Hartford Connecticut)	6
Temples Rededicated during 2016 (Suva Fiji, Freiberg Germany)	2
Temples in Operation by the end of 2016	155

Temple Predictions:

3+ temples announced in any of the following cities and states:

Managua Nicaragua (publicly proposed by Elder Russell M. Nelson in 2012; land has been purchased for such a temple there when Church membership and activity warrants it; it is the #1 country with the most LDS members without a temple)

Port Moresby Papua New Guinea (again, such a site has already been purchased and is awaiting the need for it; it is the #2 country with the most LDS members without a temple)

Bentonville Arkansas (site purchased and awaiting till Church membership and activity warrants it; appears to be the #1 contender for the next temple in the United States, outside of Utah)

Missoula Montana (according to reports, Elder Bednar publicly proposed this temple during a stake conference; while the facts and details surrounding this proposal are unverifiable at best, this appears to be a very likely city for Montana’s second temple; this argument is strengthened by the report that such a site has been purchased, and an announcement seems imminent here once Church growth and activity warrants it)

Freetown Sierra Leone (the #6 country with the most LDS members without a temple; may be needed due to extensive Church growth)

Kampala Uganda (the #8 country with the most LDS members without a temple; may be needed due to extensive Church growth)

Nairobi Kenya (the #10 country with the most LDS members without a temple; may be needed due to extensive Church growth; such a temple was proposed in February 1998 by President Gordon B. Hinckley)

NOTE: The three above are very likely, given Church growth that has recently been reported in Africa. What is not as clear is how soon such announcements might happen or how imminent any of them might be above the other two.

Lehi/Layton Utah (we have not had a new temple announced in Utah since 2015; among the many possibilities, Lehi and Layton seem to be the most imminent)

Budapest Hungary (according to a comment on my blog, this will be the next temple announced in Europe; seems to be the most imminent possibility)

Pocatello Idaho (this is the largest Idaho city without a temple and therefore makes the most sense as the home for the next temple in that state.)

La Paz Bolivia (I favor this location because my former bishop and good friend served his mission there)

Fort Worth Texas (this is the city in Texas with the largest LDS presence without a temple)

Puebla Mexico (according to a comment on my blog, this is the most likely city for the next temple in Mexico)

Brasilia/Belo Horizonte/Salvador Brazil (in the order listed, they are the top three Brazilian cities with the strongest Church presence without a temple)

Jacksonville Florida (this is, according to reports I have received, the most likely location for Florida’s third temple)

Benin City/Lagos/Port Harcourt Nigeria (in no particular order, they are the top three Nigerian cities that may be considered good candidates for temples)

Richmond Virginia (on my blog, three cities in Virginia were mentioned as possibilities to host a temple, and of the three, Richmond appears to be the best option, in addition to being the capital city)

Chile (Antofagasta/Valparaiso/Santiago (2nd temple), any of which may be excellent candidates for the next Chilean temple)

Kumasi Ghana (#1 Ghana city with the strongest LDS presence without a temple)

Neuquen Argentina (mentioned as a possibility on my blog)

Edinburgh Scotland (someone mentioned on my blog that a temple was likely in the near future for either Scotland or Ireland; of the two, Scotland seems more likely)

Rapid City South Dakota (while a possible temple might serve only one or two stakes at best, the temple in Winnipeg makes this a very likely possibility; I personally favor this city for a temple because my dad served his mission there)

Salem Oregon (mentioned as a near-future possibility through a comment on my blog; also is the capital city, which makes a great center for a future temple)

Tacoma Washington (the same comment that mentioned the previous city mentioned this one as well, which appears to be as good as any other possibility)

Montpelier Vermont (as the capital city, seems to be the best place for Vermont’s first temple)

RESULT: The following (# of temples goes here) were announced, much to my great delight: